Apparatus for extracting by-products from wood.



PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

T. 1 \1EWNHAM.` APPARATUS FOR BXTRAGTING'BLPAoDUoTs-PROM WOOD'.

YAPPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET .1.

PATBNTED MAR. 28, 1807.

l T. NBWNHAM. APPARATUS T08 BXTRAGTTNG 18T-PRODUCTS TROMWQOD.

APPLIGATION FILED sT-PT. 6. woef 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wrm/58858 TTOHNE YS Products from j is a full, clear, and exact description.

UNITED sTATEs 'PATENT omiten-f .THOMAS NEWNHAM, 'or WHITE sPRiNG's, ritorni-3a.l A' APPAfzAi-USFOB EXTRAs-rma BY-PBoDucrrs r-Rowl woon.

Specification of Letters `Patent.

- Patented Maren 2e, 1907.

Y n Application led September 6, 1906'. Serial No. 333,434.

To aZZ vwhom it may' concern.' i

Be it known. that I, THOMAS NEWNHAM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of White Springs, in the county of Hamilton and State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved A paratus for Extracting Byood, of which the following This invention relates to a continuous distillation of turpentine and other by-products from finely-subdivided wood-as sawdust, chips, shaving, or the like-and the recovery- The invention more in detail 'relates to theconstruction and relative arrangement of the of these by-products.

parts, involving also new. features of voperation whereby the ractical difficulties' heretofore encountere in this" art are overcome and the efliciency very materially-increased.

The object of my inventionis to provide an apparatus for distilling wood, whereby I obtain the essential oils and 'other useful products therefrom-such as turpentine,`A creosote, tar, andalcohol-by one continu-` lous distilling operation without the necessity' of interrupting the operation at any time to feed in a new supplyof wood or to draw olf the byproducts". Y

Refeppme is to be had to the accompany-` ing dra gs, forming'a part ofthis`spec-if`ica-A tion, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the fig,

ure's, in which- .v

Fi re 1 is 'a longitudinal section through a simp iiied form of construction, but involving my invention. Fig/1a is a detail view showing the separator in Acentral Vertical section. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2 of 1. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are vvertical sections on the lines 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 -shows a modied form of one of the screw conveyers employed. Fig. 7l is a detail section showing the construction of the outlet-controlling means, and Fig..8 is 'an end elevation showing one form of vacuum-pro-l ducing means.

My improved apparatus comprises iive main essential devices-namely, the receiving-bin 6, the high-pressure steaming-cylinder v,7, the extractin -chamber 8, the hightemperature steam-.c amber 9, and 'the condenser and separator 10. The receiving-bin comprises' a rece tacle tapering both upward and downward om a point intermediate its ends and provided at the upper end with a comparatively narrow neck 11 and hopper cape intofthe chamber.

l12, to which the or other material toI be operated upon is-delivered by a belt con-4 veyer 13 or in any other suitable manner.

Two large feed-rollers 14 are located between the bin at its point of greatest diameter and are mounted on shafts 15, extending through the outer walls of the `bin and provided with gearwheels 16, intermeshing with a pinion 17, adapted to be rotated by a pulley 18,'or in any other suitable,mannen The two feed-rollers are thus rotated in the same sired.

- direction and tend lto force the sawdust'down v. into the'lower' portion of the bin and into the horizontal cylindrical ,chamberl7.

. v'7' .The -sawdust is here conveyed longitudinally The hollow shaft20 is connected, through a packing-joint 22, to a (pipe 28 for admitting steam, and the inner en of the rotating shaft l is provided with a large number .of small perforations through which the steam may 'es- Surrounding the intermediate portion of the chamber is a steam-box, 24, having a steam-inlet pipe 25, the se arating-wall betweenthe steam-box and t e chamber being provided with perforationsior the admission of steam to the chamber'at this point. If de-.

aired, steam may alsobe admitted through a pipe' 26, connected by a packing-box to the support of the adjustable cone 21 and steamv admitted to the chamberthmu h one or more perforations in the" point of t e cone.

The wood, which is agitated and -tightly paclred in the chamber 7, is subjected to the influence of the steam and becomes thoroughly saturated with 'the latter, As the ,sawdust becomes more and more, tightly` IOC ackedin the chamber 7 small quantities of 1t continuously escape a'round the cone 21 and drop through the vertical passage 27 into the extractingchamber 8.

The eXtracting-chamberis also provided with a hollow shaft 28, 'having a screw c onveyer for agitatin and moving the material along toward the ischarge end'; but this conveyer preferably is of smaller diameter than the inner wall of the tube and is not adapted for tightly packingl the -material. .Thehollow shaft is perforated throughoutits entire TIO ' wheel 46, pinion 47, and bevel-gears 48.

.ber 8 and deliver length within the chamber 8 and on the outvery high pressiires in the chambers 7 and 9,

hollow shaft 19 to apoint slightly beyondthe end of the receiving-bin. At this point it 1s connected to a stationary. pipe 29 .by means of a packing-box 30, and the two-shafts 19 and 28 are each provided with gear-wheels 31, meshing with a pinion 32, whereby the two shafts are simultaneously rotated in the same direction. The pipe 2-9, which is connected to the hollow shaft 28, extends to an exhaust -fan 33, which latter discharges, through a pipe34, to the separator 10, while a compressed-air-discharge pipe 35 enters the pipe 34 intermediate the fan and the separator and serves to condense the steam and volatile by-products carried along therewith. The exhaust-fan 33 creates a'partial vacuum Within the chamber 8, while a high temperature is maintained by a jacket 36, surrounding the chamber and provided'with steam inlet and discharge pipes' 37 and 38, so arranged that the steam flows in the opposite direction to the flow of the material and of the exhaust-steam and byrodu'cts within the hollow shaft. The con enser may be of any type desired, but preferably is funnelshaped, with a discharge-pipe 37a at its lowerl end and having'the top closed, save for an open ended inwardly extending pipe 39, through which the compressed air may escape.

of the extracting-chamber 8 is a conduit'40, having a screw conveyer 41, adapted to withdraw the material from the extracting-chamit to the super-heatingchamber 9. This latter chamber is provided at its discharge end with an adjustable cone 42, similar to the cone 21 and which when screwed up closely adjacent the end of the tube permits of the packing of the material within the chamber and the creating of very high pressures. The chamber 9 is surrounded by a steam-jacket 43, to which superheated steam is. discharged and from which it may escape to the chamber 9 through a lurality of perforations in the walls of the atter. The chambei' is provided with a hollowuperforatedshaft 44, having a conveyer 45, adapted to be rotated simultaneously with the conveyer 41 by means of a suitable gear- Superheated steam is delivered through the pipe 49 to the jacket 43 and escapes into the l lghly-compressed material within the said chambers. entirely through said material to the centrally-located perforated pipe of shaft 44, which latter is connected to an exhaust-fan,

condenser,- and separator, similar to the exhaust-fan, condenser,'and separator above described.

In the operation of my improved device the cones 21 and 42 are adjusted to maintain Extending upward from the discharge end tial vacuum,vand all of and the extracted by-proc ucts are drawn oil In order to escape, it must pass i,

side of said chamber extends parallel to the lwhile the material falls loosely from the cone 21 and passes in a light subdivided state through the chamber 8 at a very low pressure.

The temperature of the chambers 7v and S are maintained substantiallyat the temperature of live steam, whilethe chamber 9 is maintained at a substantially higher temperatura-'as the steam delivered to said chamber has been previously superheated.'

vAll of the material which are lighter than water or soluble in it are extracted from the wood in the chamber 8 and delivered to the condenser shown; but the by-products, which are heavier than water or essentially non-so.

uble therein, are extracted in the chamber 9 by the effect of the 4high temperature of the su' erlieated steam and of the low pressure effected by the exhaust -fan (not shown) connected to the end of the hollow perforated shaft 44. The high pressure, together with the mechanical movement of the screw conveyer within the chamber 7, causes the sawdust to pass through the chamber with a rolling movement, each particle crushing and pressing against the others under a high prese sure, causing the gums in the wood to be extracted and mingle with the saturated steam and cause the latter to become thoroughly saturated before it reaches the adjacent cone. The high pressure and the low temperature maintained-in this 'chamber are very valuable in the accomplishment of the results desired, and the apparatus for obtaining these results constitutes an important part of my invention. After the sawdust passes through'the adjustable cone the pressure drops to a pare saturated steam and conveyed to the separator 10.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a form of conveyer in which the spiral web is subdivided into a plurality of parts, and I find this form possesess many advantages in that it keeps the sawdust continuously rollin@ and stirred up while it p'asses through the c ambers, particularly through the extracting-chamber 8. It is evident that any other type of condenser maybe employedA in place of that shown, and

Ido not wish'to liniit myself to compressed air as the condensing agent, as a surface' condenser may be found veryy advantageous in practice. The receiving-bin may, if desired, be provided with sprinkling-pipes 50, through which a small quantity of hot water maybe admitted'to the sawdust before it is delivered to the compressing and steaming chamber 71. This tends to soften up and open the pores in the wood to better prepare it -for the steaming and pressing process it receives in the operation. l j

The ta ering walls of the bin prevent the IOC IIO

sawdust om clogging or sticking in the bin and permitting it to fall by its own gravity to the top of the feed-rollers 14 14.' The dust cannot pass the feed-rollers until they are rotated, so that by stopping and starting these rollers thefeed of the material to the chamber 7 may be readily controlled.

-As the bin 6` is practically closedv at the top and is provided with only a narrow neck, any vapors which might rise through the bin due to the heating carried on in the chamber 7 would be condensed before they reach this neck, or in case they would not the cool dust within the neck would tend to immediately condense them and cause them to be returned into the bin.

By the use of my improved apparatus above described all of the turpentine and other :materials within thev wood which it is possible'ta extract by the use of high pressure and high temperature are drawn oil", andA the remaining wood, which escapes pastthe adjustable cone is in a dry state and may, if desired, be employed as fuel to generate the steam and power required to operate the apparatus.

Having thus described mj.'Y invention, l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. in apparatus of the characterdescribed, comprising 's receiving! in, a chamber connected thereto, means controlling the feed to said chamber, means for vcompressing the material within said chamber, means for controlling the outlet therefrom, and meansl carried by said controlling means for injecting a heating medium into said material.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a `receiving-bin, a chamber connected thereto, means 'for regulating the size of the outlet-opening, means for pressing the material within the said chamber, and means for simultaneously heating said material.

3. ln apparatus of the character described, comprising a receiving-bin, a chamber connected thereto, a hollow shaft located therein, a screw conveyer carried by said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, means for ade mitting steam to said chamber through said shaft, and an adjustable cone located at the discharge end of said chamber and adapted to close said end. y l

4. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a receiving-bin, a chamber con- `nected thereto, a screw conveyer within said chamber, a steam-box surro undin said chamber and separated therefrom by a perforated wall, means for rotating said conveyer, means for admitting steam to said steam-box and chamber, whereby the material within the from the jacket and heated, and an adj vhollow tube within said chamber is compressed and simultaneously ustable cone located adj acent the discharge end of the chamber and by 4which the pressure within the. chamber may be controlled. v

5. An apparatus of the character described,

co'm rising a chamber, means for deliverin a ,heated and compressed material thereto, a hollow perforated shaft located within said chamber, a screw conveyer carried by said shaft, means surrounding said chamber for heating the same, and means connected to said hollow shaft for-creating a partial vacu um within said chamber. y

-6. An-appara'tus of the character described, comprising a chamber, means for heating said chamber, means for agitating' the material located therein, means for creating a par` tial vacuum, whereby the iuid contents are removed, a comy'n'essed-air pipe adapted to deliver compressed air to said fluid contents at the .discharge end of the vacuum-creating means, and a condenser adapted to separate the liquid from the gaseous. products.

7 An apparatus ofthe character described, comprising' a chamber, means surrounding said chamber and adapted te deliver a fluid through perforations in the walls thereof, a

chamber and provided with perforated walls, and means carried by said tube whereb r the material within the chamber may be com-pressed and the fluid contents extracted through said tube.

S. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a chamber, a hollow perforated shaft located in said chamber, a screw conveyer carried by said shaft, an adjustable cone located at the discharge end of said chamber, means for delivering material to said chamber, and asteam-jacket-surround ing said chamber and separated therefrom by a perforated wall, whereby the material within said chamber maybe compressed and superheated steam admitted to the chamber drawn off together with certain of the fluid constituents of thev material, through the hollow perforated shaft and the remaining solid material permitted to escape around the adjustable cone.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS N EWN HAM.

Witnesses:

N. l?, Ives, W. G. GATE.

IOO 

